


Her Guiding Light

by WaterDarkE



Category: Gundam & Related Fandoms, Gundam Build Divers, Gundam Unicorn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Gen, Heartwarming, Identity, Recovered Memories, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-30 21:37:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13960539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaterDarkE/pseuds/WaterDarkE
Summary: This is a story where many years after the events of Gundam Unicorn, Marida Zinnerman, known as Marida Cruz in her previous life, is born in a peaceful, futuristic world where virtual reality exists. Not only facing conflicts on her identity and purpose with her memories of an old age, she hopes to find an answer in Gunpla Battle Nexus Online. Meeting new and old friends and enemies, she searches for who she really is and follows the order given to her, "Follow your heart."





	1. Prologue

It can be said that God granted a single miracle, to a martyr who changed the world. Her light guided those she cared for from the darkness and led them to the God known as “possibility.” That happened at the end of Universal Century, with the revelation of Laplace’s Box, to allow Newtypes, a newly discovered race of human beings who wield supernatural powers in order to further adapt to the void and vacuum of space, the ability to have a say in government. Surely it was a decision that changed the world, and she allowed it to come to fruition. 

Her name was Marida Cruz, a clone of the Newtype, Elpeo Ple, and was once known as Ple-Twelve. Awakened by her initial creator, Glemy Toto, she fought in the first Neo Zeon movement before being discarded in the cesspool of the red light district. From a young age, forced to undergo countless sexual atrocities, she found refuge under Suberoa Zinnerman, a man who lost his wife and daughter due to an unexpected Federation attack. Becoming his subordinate and surrogate daughter, she, even after recovering from a forced recondition, saw the world and believed in human possibility. Supporting Banagher Links and Minerva Zabi, she assisted in ushering in a new era.

In a time of peace, with the past becoming a distant memory, the Universal Century timeline occuring countless years ago, she is reborn. 

Living as an adopted orphan before the Zinnerman couple realized that they could have children, Marida Zimmerman lives with Suberoa, her father, Fee, her mother, and little Marie, her younger sister. 

Born with memories of another life, she must realize what sort of path she must walk upon. For the past is the past. And to do as so, she joins Gunpla Battle Nexus Online, which allows people to undergo missions in a virtual cyberspace using Gunpla. Gunpla are the toy versions of the mechas used in battle in the past, and become a worldwide phenomenon.

This is her journey.  


	2. Entering the Gunpla Battle Nexus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of a new adventure

Echoing screams.

A bright light.

The warm hand of someone beloved.

Who was that?

At that question, Marida jolted up from her bed, covered in sweat.

_Another nightmare… Why so many? Often when she slept, she remembered dreams of a distant past. Of herself fighting, winning, losing, and even dying. When she went by the name of Marida Cruz, aka Ple Twelve, a clone of a true Newtype. But, such days were already long gone, enough that she found her former self in textbooks, dating back hundreds of years. It was odd, seeing an old reflection. And even living with Zimmerman and his wife and child who passed away tragically back then. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise, to be reborn in a time of peace with her old memories. But, why did she have these dreams? These memories? Even after questioning herself, countless times, she couldn’t find an answer._

Getting up from her bed, she quickly donned her uniform, which was in a militaristic style as her high school was co-funded using the Japanese military. So, nonetheless fitting for a person like herself. Who used to know only war, but ironically lived in a time of peace. Tying up her long orange hair, she looked into the stand up mirror, gazing at her reflection. Purple eyes framed by orange locks. She wasn’t anything particularly special, not gorgeous or ugly. But, she lived in a changing world that knew peace, but even then, humans desire conflict.

”Marida! You breakfast will get cold!”

”Coming Mother!” Grabbing her backpack, she carefully made her way down the stairs, and sat at the kitchen table. Besides her sister.

”Marida-nee-chan! Make sure you eat everything, okay?” Marie smiled next her, beaming gleefully. “Mommy made it because today is a special day! When you can start playing Gunpla Battle Nexus, as Daddy said.”

”I know Marie.” Patting her younger sister on the head, she soon turned to finish her breakfast.

Once done, her sister brought her dishes to the sink, as she left about an hour later than herself.

Closer to the door, as she was about to leave, her mother appeared to say goodbye. Looking at her adopted daughter with soft eyes, she said, “Take care of yourself Marida. Even if the Nexus is considered to be safe, there are bad people anywhere. Just like back then…”

Seeing the worry on her mother’s face, Marida said with confidence, “Don’t worry about me Mother. I can take care of myself.” Smiling, she then opened the door, waved goodbye, and stepped into the sunlight.

After meeting up with Minerva Zabi, they headed to school together. Publically funded with the assistance of the military, it was one of the best schools to attend in the entire nation, sporting not only a high graduation rate, but getting into it was very difficult from the selective application and interview process. As a senior, she was currently in the process of applying to universities. Interested in the military, but also in helping develop futuristic technology, she hoped to major and specialize in computer engineering and mechanical engineering.

Once classes were over, Marida parted ways with Minerva and headed toward the local Gunpla shop. Hearing the familiar jingle, she was greeted by a young blue haired man.

”Welcome back Marida! How may I help you?

”Sei, I was wondering if I can use the Gunpla Battle Nexus Terminal you have.” Taking out her customized Kshatriya Gunpla, made to be more suitable for fighting and mobility, she pointed toward the door in the far back.

”Of course!” He handed her a base plate to allow her Gundam to be scanned. “It looks like Zinnerman-san finally let you start to play. Didn’t you say that when you were young, you had nightmares related to Gundam?”

”That is right.” She closed her eyes, and recalled when she collapsed to the ground after seeing the Kshatriya once more and even now, those nightmares still remained.

Following Sei into the back, the module, rather than it being a room of six of them, they each had their own individual capsule. Made to improve the privacy of the player.

”Three hours?” Sei looked at the timer before the door. “Make sure to come back before your time is up! Or you will be forcibly logged out.”

”Got it.”

”Good luck Marida!” Sei waved goodbye to her as the door of the module closed.

Looking around, the module capsule was only slightly larger than that of the cockpit she remembered. “They got the size right.” she muttered to herself. Sitting down, putting her backpack in the storage bin, she placed the base plate and then her Kshatriya on it. “I need to be back before dinner time.” Placing her goggles on, and her hands on the controls, she dived into the Nexus in a stream of blue and green light.

* * *

 

Username: Kshatriya Alternative

Real name: Marida Zinnerman

Gunpla Model: Customized NZ-666 Kshatriya

Chosen outfit: Marida Cruz’s Casual Wear (limited edition, pay exclusive)

* * *

Welcome to GBN Dimension. Are you ready to survive?

Stepping out of an elevator, she looked around in awe. Players strolled casually, while live battles and missions were shown in the monitors. So involved was she in looking around that she didn’t realize that she bumped into someone.

”I’m so sorry... “ And her voice died in her throat. “The champion?”

Before her stood the current Champion, Kujo Kyoya, the number one ranked in the world. Looking at her amiably before growing more stern, he peered at her closely.

”Have you played in the Nexus before?”

”No… I have not. This is my first time logging in.”

”Hmm… You seem to be speaking the truth. But your eyes, they are like that of a warrior. You have the aura of someone who has fought many battles.”

She froze up from his comment, and saw many people around her gaping at her having gained the attention of the champion.

”Please battle me… Kshatriya.” He held a hand out to her. “I know that this is a surprise, but my intuition is never wrong. Please let me have the honor of giving you your first battle here.”

Her mouth dry, shocked from gaining the attention of nearly the entire area, she reluctantly shook his hand.

”I will.” Looking at his eyes determinedly, there was a fire in her eyes.

 ”I knew it! Your gaze… there is a power behind it.” Kujo smiled before leading her the a nearby battle ground, with the bystanders being shooed away.


	3. Arriving in Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm.

Walking besides the Champion, as the crowd was shooed away by NPCs, Marida entered the hangar to see her Kshatriya once more before her battle. Looking upon the familiar green frame, she edited the settings to adjust them to her needs using the touchscreen before putting a hand on the machine that carried her through those dark days…

”Thank you for helping me, back then. Even if you are a copy of the original, it doesn’t take away your soul.” For a moment, she listened  to the digital chatter in the background, until she picked up that familiar wave of static that could only come from one place. “If you can hear me, please continue to support me.” There was a momentary flash of green pulsing light in her mind, before fading, leaving a warm glow behind. Tears came to her eyes, flowing down her cheeks.

Stepping away, wiping the tears away, she walked back to the platform, meeting up with Kyoya Kujo who smiled softly back.

”I can tell, there is a bond between you and your machine that cannot be broken.” He offered her a hand, and she took it, and together, they warped to the edge of the nearby battlefields.

* * *

Standing at the edge of a field of flowers, she took a moment to experience the virtual air, the virtual sun, the virtual wind. All was incredibly realistic, that it was hard to see that it was replicated besides the existence of countless pixels. Holding out a hand, she reached toward the sky, a blue one so different from the false sky found in the colonies she remembered.

”This world is beautiful, in ways that the actual one cannot replicate. It melds fantasy, history, and reality. And the dreams of those who play it. So, Kshatriya, why do you play Gundam Battle Nexus?”

”To find myself, and my role in this world of peace.” She looked at him directly, and liked the earnest gaze she saw. “You remind me of someone.”

”Who?”

”A beloved friend of mine.” Gazing into the virtual sky, she pointed upwards. “Surely, he found distant horizons to lead us to the current present. But, let us go.”

”Since you accepted my challenge, you have the honor of choosing the battlefield.” he opened a screen and sent it her way. She looked at the options, and finding one to her liking, selected it.

”Battlefield: Space. Location: Magellanica: Colony Builder of Industrial 7. Source: Gundam Unicorn

* * *

Surrounded by the depths of space, she floated, surrounded by the familiar vacuum she knew so well. So, cold, merciless, and frightening. She shivered unconsciously in her space suit that she automatically wore, purple just like in her memories.

Floating towards the catapult, she entered the Kshatriya, into the familiar cockpit. Even if the controls were more simplified than what she expected, the core was still the same. She still used foot petals and hand levers. An open screen appeared before her, with a small voice chat linking her to Kyoya Kujo.

”How are you feeling? The launcher is mandatory before launching in your Gundam.”

”I know.” Putting her hands on the controls, before taking a deep breath.

”Kujo Kyoya! AGE-IIMG Gundam AGEII Magnum! Launching!”

”Marida Zinnerman! Launching in Kshatriya!”

Launching into space, she leapt to meet her fate in battle once more. Met by countless stars.


End file.
